Catch and lock mechanism for automobile trunk compartments



Sp't. 5,

1939. A. cLAuD-MANTLE 2,172,169

`CATCH AND tLQCK MECHANISM FQHiAUTOMOBILE TRUNK COMPARTMENTS 'Fild sept. 21', 19:58 2 sheets-sheet 1 l IN ENTOR Angl-run mun-MANTLE.

ATTORNEY Sept. 5, 1939. A. emula-MANTLE CATCH'AND LOCK MECHANISM FOR AUTOMOBILE TRUNK GIPARTMENTS Filed sept. 21, 193s 2 sneetsneet 2 INVENTOR- ATTORNEY Pmmedsepg. s, 1939 uNlTED STATES CATCH AND LOCK MECHANISM FOR AUTO- MOBILE TRUNK CUMPARTMENTS Arthur Gland-Mantle, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to The Bassick Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation' of Connecticut Application September 21, 1938, Serial No."230,942

' 10 Claims,

The present invention relates to an improved rcatch andy lock mechanism for an automobile trunk compartment, particularlyA of a type in which a single centrally disposed handle is adapted to actuate latching rods extending to each of the side edges of the compartment door. or

Icover.

The transverse contour of the trunk compartment door varies to a great extent with various 1.0 designs of automobiles, in some cases being relatively at, while in others it will have a pronounced curvature, and diliculty hasbeen experienced, particularly with doors having such pronounced curvature, in providing a center operating latch which will be of simple construction and have a positive action. Various expedients have 'been employed, such as jointed rods but these have been complicated, expensive, and subject to rattling and becoming loose as the parts wore.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a latching mechanism in which the latching .bars extending from each side of the centrally disposed latch actuating mechanism are of one piece unit construction, and such that they may be readily designed to fit any curvature or depth of door, simply by varying the angularity of a series of bends provided in the bars. I

A further object is to provide the bar which,

while having a considerable oiset between the latching mechanism and the latching end, will bev extremely rigid, and to this enditis proposed to employ channel bars having their flanges vlaterally disposed and in planes at right angles to. the

bending lines whereby the bar is rigidly trussed against distortion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latching mechanism which will be automatically detented in bo'th the latched and unlatched po'sitions of the latching bars, and whereby when the 4o latch is unlatched when the door is opened the bars will not accidentally assume a latching position which would interfere with the closing of the door, or which might damage the door frame in the event'that the door is accidentally dropped 4 5 into closed position with the latching bars in latching position.

A further object is to provide locking means which after being unlocked to permit movement of the latching mechanism into unlatching position 50 may be placed in locking position andthe key removed with the latching means still in unlatched position. It is further proposed to provide such locking means which will permit the door tobe closed and the latch turned into latching posiu tion, the locking means yielding to permit this of the latching bars according to a modied form the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

action and thereupon automatically assuming its locking relation, and without the necesslty for employing the key for this purpose.

A further o bject is to provide improved assem- ,l

-bly means for the actuating handle and for the 5 handle escutcheon.

` With the above and other objects in view, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, and these embodiments will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be nally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

' Fig. 1 is an elevation showing a portion of the rear trunk compartment of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail top plan view of the latching end of one of the latching bars, and showing portions of the door and door frame.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of Fig. 3. I v l Fig.' 5 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, as seen from the inside of the door.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the latching end of one inner ends of the latching bars connected there- 30 to, the dot-and-dash lines showing the unlocked position of the locking lever to permit the movement of the latch to open position.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional View taken along 35 Fig. 9 is a diagonal sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

,4 Fig. 10 is an elevation showing the latch in `open position and showing the locking mechanism in its automatic locking relation, the dot-and-dash lines showing the position to which the locking lever is moved as the latch parts are moved to latching position. y

Fig. 11 is a detail inner end view of the improved handle escutcheon employed.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding patsdshroughout tne several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the automobile trunk compartmentl is provided with a door opening vdeined by the U-cross-section channel frame lportion Il, pressed from the marginal portion surrounding the opening, the inner flange 0I the channel projecting rearwardly, and having its free edge inwardly offset. This free edge is adapted to have sealing contact with the resilient sealing strip of the door, and the channel structure provides a water drain. The door I2 is hingedly mounted at the upper edge of the opening by means of hinges I3-I3, and is provided at its edge with an inwardly turned flange I4, which in the closed position of the door is adapted to extend into the channel I I and against which one side of the rubber sealing strip I5 is engaged, the other side and the base o f this sealing strip being seated in the recess formed by the angular edge portion I6 of the inner frame portion I'I of the door. This inner frame portion is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the outer wall of the door, and is designed to give it rigidity. 'Adjacent the portion I6 the frame I'I is provided with an inwardly embossed at portion I8 disposed in a plane slightly offset outwardly from the inner wall of the channel portion II, for the purpose of mounting the guide bracketl of the latching bars, as will hereinafter more fully appear. At its central portion near the lower edge the frame is provided with lan inwardly embossed fiat portion I9 for mounting the latch and locking mechanism, as will presently more fully appear.

The latch comprises a sheet metal plate 20 secured to the frame portion I9 by rivets 2I. circular bearing aperture 22, for the rotatable part of the latching mechanism, is disposed centrally of a diagonally arranged yieldable portion 23, formed by a pair of slots l24-24 oppositely disposed along a diagonal line intersecting the axis of the aperture 22 at an angle of 45? to vertical and horizontal lines extending through said aperture, these slots being concentric to the aperture 22 at their intermediate portions and their ends extending for a short distance in parallel spaced relation to each other. The section of the yieldable portion 23 between the parallel end portions of the slots are transversely bowed, as at 25-25, by expanding the metal in suitable dies, for the purpose of allowing the portion 23 to have a slight diaphragm-like yielding movement relatively to the plane of the plate 20.

A iianged hub 26 is rotatably engaged in the aperture 22, with its flange engaging the inner surface of theyieldable portion 23 of the plate 20, the frame portion I9 of the door being provided with a circular opening 21 within which said flange of the hub is disposed, this circular opening being of sufficient diameter to extend beyond the bowed portions 25-25 of the yieldable portion 23. The hub 26 is provided with a reduced shouldered neck portion 28 engaged with an aperture 29 of a latch lever 36 and fixedly secured thereto by swedging the end of the hub,

l as at 3l. The hub is provided with a square to be turned from thisposition to the oppositely disposed diagonal position. As showntin Fig. 9 .the lever 30 has its central portion immediately surrounding the hole 29 outwardly spaced from the surfacev of the portion 23, and is provided in outwardly spaced relation to the hole 29 with inwardly offset bearing portions 35-35,

which in the bar-projecting position, shownA Figs. 'I and 9, span the bowed portions 25-25 of the yieldable portion 23 out of contact therewith and engage the surface of the plate 20 outwardly of the slots `24-24 thus. insuring rm engagement with the plate 20, irrespective of the projection of the portion 23 with respect to the plate 20. The end portions 36-36 of the lever are bent outwardly from the portions 25-25 and project in spaced relation to the plate 20, these end portions each having a hole 31 punched therein for the purpose of pivotally securing the inner ends of the latching bars 36-38 by means of rivet studs 39-39.

A stop lug 40 is lanced and pressed outwardly from the plate 20, and is provided with stop surfaces lll and 42 at right angles to each other and diagonally disposed with respect to the plate, the stop surface 4| being engaged in the latching position byv an endsurface of one of the bearing` portions 35 of the latch lever 30, as shown ,in Fig. 7, and the stop surface 42 adapted to be engaged in the unlatched position by an end surface of the other 'bearing portion 35, as shown in Fig. 10. In both the latched and unlatched positionsthelatchinglever 30 is detented and yieldably heldin detented position by means of an outwardly embossed detenting portion 43 in the upper portion of the plate 20, having a detenting and camming wall 44 disposed in spaced parallel relation to the stop surface'4I of the stop lug 40, and adapted to engage and confine one edge oi the latching lever 30, and also provided with a detenting and camming wall 45 at right angles to the wall 44 and with which the other edge of the latching lever is adapted to.

relation to the stop surface 42 of the stop lug 40 and adapted to engage the edge of thevlatch lever in the unlatched position, as' shown in Fig. 10, while the wall 48 is adapted to engage the edge of the latch lever in the latched position, as shown in Fig. '7.

These detenting portions 43 and 46 are in the form of slightly raised platforms pressed in the plate 20, their edge walls having a gradual curve from the surface of the plate 20, so that by turning pressure exerted upon the latch lever 'the latter will ride up upon the detenting portions as the latch lever is turned from latching to unlatching position, and will then drop into engagement with thesurface of the plate 20 as the` and a cotter pin 5I engaged therein which retains the spring in position. The spring which is of H-shape in plan has its outer curved ends pressed into engagement with the latch leve'.x 30. The handle escutcheon 52 consists of a tubular metal thimblehaving an`outwardly curled ange 53 adapted to engage beneath the 'flange 54 of the handle, and having a rubber gasket/55' atY Iits under side adapted to be pressed into engagement with the outer surface of the door in surrounding relation to thehandle receiving aperture 56 in the door. A plurality of lugs 51 are lanced in the cylindrical wall of the escutcheon and are bent outwardly so lthat their edges lockingly' engage the inner surface of the door, their slight springiness permitting them to be pressed through the opening 56 as the vescutcheon is pushed into place, whereupon they spring -outwardly to engage the innersurface, the rubber gasket 55 being slightly compressed to seal the aperture 56 and serving to draw the lugs into locking engagement with the inner face of the door. This escutcheon may be assembled simply by placing it upon the handle and thereupon inserting the handle through the opening 56 with suiiicient force to cause the lugs 51 to spring past the inner surface of the door. After the handle is thus inserted the -spring 49 is placed upon the inner end of the shank and the cotter pin 52 then inserted through the hole I to retain it.

The spring 49 exerts a constant inward pull upon the handle 34 which retains it snugly in engagement with its bearing in the door and therefore retains it against rattling and compensates for wear, while at the same-time permitting it to have free turning movement.

The latch bars 38 are formed from channel stock and have their outer latching ends 38a dis-v posed in an inwardly offset plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the latching lever 30 by means of a series of bends 58, so arranged as to substantially conform the bars to the curvature of the door. lThese bends are produced in a suitable bending machine which by compressing or stretching the metal, maintains the flanges of the channel in at parallel lrelation, the flanges forming rigid struts at the bends so that the complete bar is a rigid unit between its ends. It will be understood that the bars 38 may be curved or of any suitable form between their inner pivoted ends and their outer sliding ends 38a, the essential relation being that the ends 38B' be parallel to the plane of movement of. the pivoted ends.

The end latching portons 38a are guided in brackets secured to the bearing portions I8 of the door frame, and each of which comprises a base plate 59 and a guide plate 60 having a pair of U- shaped bends 5| and 62, which form channel guides for the fianges of the latching bar. The base plate 59 is provided at each'vof its upper and lower ends with an outwardly bent dovetail lug 63 engaged in a correspondingly engaging notch 64. in each end of the guide plate. The bracketH is securedin place by rivets 65.

The nose of each of the latching bars 38, which is adapted `to engage the transverse inner surface of the U-cross-section channel portion Il of the door frame, is beveled at its-end, as at 65, by

bending the end of the bar, the flanges of the bar being then bent inwardly, as at (i1- 61, over a reinforcing plate 68 disposed within the channel. The inwardly bent flanges provide a structure which will not injure thel edge of the frame in the event that the door is allowed to drop into the inwardly bent flanges 6'l-6'| and the reinforcing plate 68 aredispensed with, the bar being simply bent at its end to provide the bevel 66.

The locking means for the latch is mounted upon the detenting portion 43 at the upper part of the plate 20, and comprises a locking lever 69 pivotally mounted upon the portion 43 by means of a pivot stud 10. In the locking position one arm of this lever has its end disposed in the path of movement of the locking lever 30, being normally pressed into this position by means of a hair-pin spring 1I, having the end of one leg engaged and retained in the end of a lanced out and upwardly pressed strap portion 12 provided upon the detenting portion 43, and its other leg being extended through said strap portion and provided with a bent end portion 13 engaged in a notch 14 in the upperedge of the locking lever 69. The other end of the locking lever engages the face of a locking cam 15 under the pressure ofthe spring 1|, this locking cam having its hub tending into an aperture 82 in the door I2 where the exposed key slot in the outer end may be engaged by the usual key.

The operation is as follows: Fig. 7 illustrates the normal locked position, the locking lever 69 being in the path of movement of the latching lever 30, so that the latter can not be turned. In order -to open the door the key is inserted in the lock and turned to bring the cam 15 into the position shown by the dot-anddash lines in Fig. 7, the rise in the cam causing the locking lever 69 to be moved to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines, where it is out of the path of the latching lever 30. The latch lever may therefore be freely turned to the position shown in Fig. 10, retracting the latching bars to disengage their outer ends 38a from the channel portion Il of the frame. As the latching lever is moved from the latched to the unlatched position it rides over the detenting portions 43 and 46-and drops into detented position against the plate 20,

not be operated without again inserting the key' and turning the lock to unlocked position. In the present arrangement however, the latch is free to be actuated to the latching position with the lock in its locked position, the movement of the latching lever 30 in counter-clockwise direction, as indicated by the dot-and-dash line arrow in Fig. 10, causing it to engage the lower side of the locking arm of the locking lever 69 and swing the latter, against the pressure of the spring 1I, to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines, the locking lever then swinging into the locking position as thel latching lever moves into its latching position as shown in Fig, 7. 'I'he latch is thus automatically locked through its actuation from unlatched to latched relation.

I have illustrated vand described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of my invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and yscope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a. locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door and having an intermediate area yieldable withY respect to the plane of said plate, a lever mounted upon said yieldable area of said plate for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said plate, a handle secured to said lever adapted to extend to the exterior of the door for manual actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotally secured at its inner end to the end of said lever, the outer end of said bar adapted to lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting movement-and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, said lever adapted to be rotated between a/diagonally Adisposedbarprojecting position and a diagonally disposed bar retracting position, stop means mountedon said plate adapted to engage one edge of said lever to limit the bar projecting and bar retracting positions of said` lever, detent means projecting from the plane of said plate adapted to retain said lever in said respective bar projecting and bar retracting positions through engagement with the other edge thereof, said yieldable area adapted to permit movement of said lever parallel to its axis of rotation whereby said lever is adapted to ride over said detent means upon rotary'pressure being applied thereto. Y

2. In a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door and having an intermediate area yieldable with respect to the plane of said plate, a bearing hub rotatably mountedin said yieldable area and having a non-circular handle receiving passage', a lever se'cured to said hub, a handle having a non-circular shaft slidably engaged in said hub passage for manual actuation of said lever, a spring disposed between said handle shaft and said lever adapted to permit axial yielding movement of said hub on saidshaft, a locking bar pivotally secured at its inner end to the end of said lever, the outer end offsaid bar adapted to llockingly engagethe door frame upon projecting movement "and tovbe released therefrom upon retracting movement, said lever adapted to be rotated between a diagonally disposed-bar projecting position and a diagonally disposed bar retractingposition, stop `means mounted on said plate adaptedto engag'e one edge of said lever to limit 'the bar projecting and bar-retracting positions of said lever, detent means projecting l from the plane of said plate adapted to retain said lever in said respective barprojectingy andv bar retracting position through :engagement with.

the other edge lthereof, said yieldable area adapted to permit movement of said lever parallelv to its axis of rotation whereby said lever is adapted to ride over said detent means upon ro- ,tary pressure being applied thereto.

3. In a locking vmechanism ior automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior l'of thedoor, there being a pair of spaced slots-insaid plate providing an areabetween said slots, yieldable with-,respect to the plane of said 1pliante, a

lever mounted upon said yieldablefareaof -said plate for rotation .about an axis perpendicular to the plane of said plate; a handle secured to said lever adapted to' extend to thefexterior of the door for manual actuation of said lever, a v.locking bar pivotally secured at its inner endto 'the end of said lever, the outer end of said bar 'adapted to lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, said 'lever adaptedto be rotated between a diagonally disposed bar projecting positon'and a diagonally disposed bar retracting position, stop means mounted on said plate adapted to engage one edge of said lever to limit the bar projecting and bar retracting positions of said lever, detent means projecting `from the plane of saidplateiadapted to retain said lever in vsaid respective bar projecting and bar retracting positions through engagement y, with the other edge thereof, said yieldable area i adapted to permit movement of said lever parallel to its axis of rotation whereby said lever is adapted to ride over said detent meansv upon rotary pressure being applied thereto.

4. In a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment-doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the '.l manual actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotally secured at its inner end to the end of said lever, the outer end of said bar adapted to lockingly' engage the door frame upon projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, said lever adapted to be rotated between a diagonally disposed bar vprojecting position and a diagonally disposed bar retracting position and having an olset bearing portion engaging said plate, said portion in one position extending over said offset portion of said yieldable area out of contact therewith and engaging said plate outwardly of said slots, stop means mounted on said plate adapted to engage one edge of said lever to limit the bar Yprojecting and bar retracting positions ofsaid lever, detent means projecting from the plane of said plate adapted to retain said lever in said respective bar projecting and bar retracting position throughV engagement .with the other edge thereof, said yieldable area adapted to permit movement of said lever parallel to its -axis of rotation whereby said lever is adapted to ride over said detent means upon rotary pressure lbeing applied thereto.

5. a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors yor the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, a lever rotatably mounted uponsaid plate, a handle secured to said lever vadapted Vto.extend tothe exterior of the door for manual actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotally secured at its inner end -to the end of said lever, the outer end of said bar adapted to -lockngly` engage the door frame upon 'projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, said lever adapted to be rotated between a .bar pro- A jecting position and a bar retracting position, a locking lever pivotally. mounted uponsaid plate,

cam to unlocking position, said locking lever having a surface disposed in the path of said bar actuating lever upon its movement from bar retracting to bar projecting position, whereby said locking lever is swung to unlocking position to permit said movement to bar projecting position, said spring means adapted to return said locking lever to locking position inA engagement with said cam to oppose the movement of the bar actuating lever to bar retracting position.

6. In a locking mechanism -for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, for use with a lever actuated locking bar a mounting plate adapted to be .secured to the interior of the door and upon which said lever is rotatably mounted for movement between a 4bar projecting position and a bar retracting position, a locking lever pivotally mounted upon said plate, having one arm normally disposed in a substantially tangential line to the path of movement of said bar actuating lever with its end in the path of said lever to oppose its movement to retracting position, a key actuated cam mounted upon said plate engaging the other arm of said lever adapted to be actuated to swing said. locking lever to unlocking position out of the path of said bar actuating lever, a spring normally retaining said locking lever in engagement with said cam, and adapted to yield to permit movement of said locking lever away from said cam to unlocking position, said locking lever having a longitudinally disposed surface disposed in the path of said bar actuating lever upon its movement from bar retracting to bar projecting position, whereby said locking lever is swung to unlocking position to permit said movement to bar projecting position, lsaid spring means adapted to return said locking lever to locking position in engagement with said cam to oppose the movement of the bar actuating leverV to bar retracting position.

7. In a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, a lever rotatably mounted upon said plate, a handle secured to said lever adapted to extend to the exterior of the door for actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotally securedat its inner end to the end of said lever, the outer end portion of said bar being straight and par-` allel to the pivoted inner end portion and adapted to lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting lmovement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, a guide for said outer end adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, and said' bar comprising a -channel strip, and theiianges of said channel strip constituting strut means against bending strains imposed longitudinally of the bar. f

8. In a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, a lever rotatably mounted upon said plate,

a handle secured to said lever adapted to extend to the exterior of the door for actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotally secured at itsinner end to the end of said lever, the outer end portion of said bar being straight and parallel to the pivoted innerl end portion and adapted tov lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, a guidel for said outer end adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, and said bar comprising a channel strip of U- cross-section having bends between the inner and outer end portions of said bar, and the flanges of said channel strip having'continuously flat surfaces constitutingv strut means along said bends against bending strains imposed longitudinally of the bar.

9. In a locking mechanism for automobile trunk compartment doors-or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, a lever rotatably mounted upon said plate, a handle secured to said lever adapted to extend to the exterior of the door for actuation of said lever, a locking bar pivotallysecured at its inner end to the end of said lever, the outer end portion of said'bar being straight and parallel to the pivoted inner end portion and adapted to lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon retracting movement, a guide for said outer end'adapted to be secured to the interior of the door, the inner and outer end' portions of said bar being oiset with respect to each other, and said bar` comprising a U-cross-sectlon channel strip having a series of bends between said inner and outer end portions, the bar between said bends being straight, and the iianges of said channel strip constituting strut means at said bends against bending strains imposed Alongitudinally of the bar.

10. In a locking mechanism. for automobile trunk compartment doors or the like, a mounting plate adapted to be secured lto the interior of the door, a lever rotatably mounted upon said plate, a, handle secured to said lever adapted to extend to the exterior of the door for actuation v of said lever, a pair of locking bars pivotally secured at their inner ends to the respective ends of said lever, the outer end portions of said bar being straight and parallel to the pivoted innery end portions and adapted to lockingly engage the door frame upon projecting movement and to be released therefrom upon `retracting movement, guide means for said outer end portionsadapted to be secured to the interior of the door,rsaid outer end portions each having abeveled cam surface adapted to loosely engage thedoor frame upon initial projecting movement and to draw said door inwardly upon continued projecting movement. Y

ARTHUR CLAUD-IMANTLE. 

